The June to His Johnny
by writer writing
Summary: Lois agrees to date Oliver again, but not because she still loves him. She also has to deal with her feelings for Clark and the Blur. How is she going to get out of this mess?
1. Chapter 1

"Lois, go out with me again, please. I'll be a changed man. I won't touch another drop or pill. I swear I won't," Oliver pleaded.

Lois looked unsettled by his sudden outburst, not to mention his sudden arrival at her apartment.

He took her hand and said to her in a softer voice. "Don't you remember all the good times we had?"

Lois thought about it. She remembered her confession to Clark not too long ago, 'I don't want to be alone anymore'. Who was she waiting on? The Blur? Clark? Then she mentally shook her head. That wouldn't be fair to her or Oliver to settle for somebody she didn't want to be with. It'd be better to go through life alone. But then she thought about his promise to leave off the alcohol and pills. He was wasting his life and if he didn't slow down, he was going to be dead before he made it to 25. Maybe he needed a break to reexamine his life and if going on a few dates cleaned him up long enough to take another look, who did it hurt? "Okay. Maybe a date or two, but I'm not making any promises and you had better keep yours about cleaning yourself up."

How was she to know that Clark would ask her out the next day?

"I'm—I can't."

"Oh," he said. She could tell he was disappointed and a little bit humiliated.

"Clark, I would, honest, but—"

"I don't need any excuses. I understand," he said, trying to focus on his computer.

"No, you don't. It's Oliver. He—"

"Oliver?" he questioned. She could hear the note of jealousy in his voice.

"He needs me. I—"

Before she could finish, Oliver came into the Daily Planet with not so impeccable timing. He brought with him her favorite candy and flowers.

Lois reluctantly stood up to take the gifts and Oliver brought her into a hug and kissed her on the cheek. He had been aiming for her lips, but she turned her head just in time.

"Clark," Oliver said with a polite nod of greeting.

"Oliver," Clark returned the reply, not politely at all.

"Are you ready for that date?" he asked Lois. "I have big plans for us."

Lois wasn't ready at all. She wanted to explain the circumstances to Clark so that he would know why she was going out with Oliver. "You were supposed to meet me at my apartment, not here," she told him.

"I know, baby, but I couldn't help myself. I was too excited."

"Are you going to be driving?" Clark asked Oliver.

"Of course," came Oliver's cavalier response.

"On your motorbike?" he asked more harshly than before. He stood up and looked rather intimidating.

Lois put her forehead on her palm. Some of their coworkers were watching the exchange of Clark acting like her father. Only they knew as well as she did, there was nothing fatherly in his intentions. This would no doubt make for some ugly gossip.

"Yes, on my motorbike. You got a problem with that?" Oliver asked, losing his patience.

"I do when you have a drinking and speeding problem and my partner is riding behind you."

If she didn't intervene, it looked like things would get physical. They may never have been best friends, but they had been friends. She had no idea how things had deteriorated so far between them. She quickly changed her mind about telling Clark. If they got into another argument, who's to say that Clark wouldn't let it slip to Ollie the real reason why she was dating him and that would ruin everything. She would have to tell him after she helped Oliver.

"I think that's enough of the big brother routine, Smallville," Lois said. "I can handle myself. I've got enough sense to put us both in cabs if there's any drinking on our date."

"Come on, Lois," Oliver said.

Lois followed him out, but she glanced back at Clark who looked like he was trying to calm down and keep it together. Two men fighting over you was never as romantic as it seemed in the movies.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

When Oliver dropped her off, she wondered if he had noticed that she hadn't spoken all evening, other than to say yes, no, or to smile halfheartedly. If she were honest, she couldn't remember one thing about their date that night, not what he had said or even what they'd eaten.

He kissed her square and passionately on the mouth. Apparently he hadn't noticed or he had misinterpreted her silence. She quickly pulled away.

"Let's go back to my apartment," he begged.

She almost laughed. Life was funny. When they had tried so hard to have coitus with no interruptus, as she had put it, everything had gotten in the way and now that there was all the time in the world, she needed something to get in the way. "Ollie, this is only our first date. Don't you think we should take this thing a little slower?"

He smiled. "Maybe you're right. Until tomorrow then?"

It took all her willpower to keep from letting out a disappointed sigh. She had hoped there would be a little more time than that between dates. "Sure," she answered and then she closed the door on him.

As she turned around, she almost screamed when she saw a figure standing in the darkened room.

"Goodness gracious, Chloe," Lois said, breathing a little heavier than normal. "Are you trying to scare somebody half to death?"

Chloe stepped closer. She looked a bit like a disapproving mother. "That's a strange reaction to have after you just reconnected with your beloved," she said sarcastically.

"It's not strange at all when your cousin is stalking you in the shadows," Lois said, as she flipped on the light. She had moved back in over the Talon when she found out Jimmy had died, for Chloe's sake, but now she was beginning to regret that move. She had been getting used to having some privacy.

"You don't look like you had a good time," Chloe told her.

Lois flopped on the couch. "I had a great time," she contradicted.

Chloe joined her on the couch. "I talked to Clark."

"And?" Lois prodded.

"He told me he asked you out."

Lois got defensive. "Is it a crime to turn someone down? And why does he always confide in you anyway?"

Chloe knew she was onto something now. "There are some things you just can't confide to certain people I guess. He couldn't very well talk to you about you, could he?"

"I suppose you have a point."

"Why are you going out with Oliver again and don't give me any stuff about rediscovering old feelings."

"Chloe, don't you have something better to do than interrogate me?"

"Actually, no." When Lois didn't answer right away, she asked, "Is it because you're starting to realize you're falling for Clark and Oliver is a safe retreat?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I wish you would open up to me," Chloe said, taking a gentler approach.

Lois decided to ignore the entreaty. She opened up her box of chocolates instead and popped one in her mouth. She moved the box toward Chloe, but Chloe shook her head. "He's looking good, don't you think? Ollie I mean."

"Well, he wasn't drunk or spaced out if that's what you're talking about," Chloe replied.

"I think that's in his past now, but I guess time will tell."

"Oh my gosh, that's it, isn't it?" Chloe said, realization dawning in her eyes.

"What?"

"You're trying to be the June to his Johnny Cash."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Lois asked, genuinely confused.

"You're trying to play out some Walk the Line fantasy where you rescue him from his addictions through the power of love. I hate to tell you this, but it's not going to work for two reasons. One, you don't love him and two, I don't think he loves you as much as he thinks he does. He loves the man he was when he was with you. The only person that's going to save Oliver is Oliver."

"You don't think I know that?" Lois asked. "Say what you like though, he's stopped for now."

"For now, but it's only a temporary solution."

"I know and I'm planning on it as a temporary solution. I'm just giving him a little time to breathe."

"What if it doesn't work like you plan? What if he's devastated when he learns the real reason you're going out with him and is worse than before?"

"What if I had told him no and instead of going out with me tonight, he overdosed and died?"

"Then it wouldn't have been your fault."

"I know, but I have to try to help him. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't."

Chloe nodded, accepting her answer. "Are you going to tell Clark?"

"I thought about it, but things have been kind of weird between them lately. I don't think it's a good idea."

"Partly because of you," Chloe told her.

"More likely because Ollie's been out of control lately."

"That's the other part," Chloe agreed.

"So are you going to go running to Clark with the information?"

"No, I've gotten far too involved in this as it is, but I wish you would."

"I will eventually. I'm not going to drag this thing out for too long," Lois assured her.

"I just think you're playing with fire."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Lois was surprised when Clark brought her coffee the next day. She stared at the smoking cup on the corner of her desk for a few moments, wondering if it was really for her. "So I'm not your mortal enemy now?" she teased, as he sat down across from her.

"Why would you be?" he asked seriously. "You're still my friend whether you go out with me or not. I just wish you had better taste in men."

"Meaning you?" she said with a twinkle in her eye. He blushed rather than responding. She took a sip of her coffee. "Well, it doesn't taste like you poisoned it. I guess you're telling the truth."

"So?" he asked.

"It's good coffee," she replied, unsure why he needed a pat on his back for his coffee-making skills all of a sudden.

"No, I mean how did last night go?"

"Oh," she said uncomfortably. What was she supposed to tell him? "It went good."

"Oliver didn't drink?"

"No."

"He didn't speed?"

"No."

"Did you sleep with him?"

Lois was caught totally off-guard and coffee spluttered out of her mouth. "Getting a little personal, aren't we? I don't see how that's any of your concern."

"It's just lately he's had a love them and leave them attitude. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Lois softened a little. She had thought he didn't have a very high opinion of her for a second there, but his question only stemmed from concern for her, not out of misguided jealousy. "You underestimate him. He has been a playboy lately, but he can be sweet and loyal when he wants to be. He just hasn't wanted to be for awhile. He wants people to hate him, including you, because right now he hates himself, so don't give into it, Clark. Be his friend, whether he wants you to be or not."

Clark considered her words carefully. She thought she had gotten through to him, but then he said, "I think you're friendly enough for the both of us."

She rolled her eyes. It wasn't all concern for her. Some of it was good old-fashioned jealousy.

"Are you going to see him again?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes. As a matter of fact, we have a date tonight."

He stood up.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I have a story to work on."

Lois sighed after he was gone. She knew the coffee had been too good to be true.

Her phone rang, "Lois Lane," she answered.

"Miss Lane?" the voice said. She knew that voice anywhere. It was the Blur.

"Yes?" she said, her voice full of excitement. He must have thought she was pathetic. She sounded like a kid at Christmas or like all she ever did was wait for his phone calls.

"I need to talk to you tonight if that's okay."

"Why can't you talk to me now?" she asked.

"It's private. Say 8:00 at our phone booth?"

She hesitated. She'd probably still be on her date with Ollie at that time. She could cut it short though. This was probably important and it would give her another way of turning Oliver down if he wanted to take her back to his apartment. "I have a date, but I think I can make it then."

"Good. Talk to you then."

Her heart was beating quickly like it always did after she got done talking to him. She wondered what was so important that he had to tell her in the middle of her date. It must be something good.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

"And then an elephant stormed into the middle of the office and sat on the chairman's head."

"That's nice," Lois said, still looking at her watch.

Oliver chuckled, but said chidingly, "You haven't been listening to a word I said, have you?"

That got her attention, "Ollie, I'm sorry. I just have to take off early."

"Yeah, I caught onto that when you kept looking at your watch. Where do you have to go?"

"It's business. I have to um… meet with an informant of mine in about 15 minutes." It was the truth and yet, she wondered why she didn't tell him she was going to talk with the Blur.

"That's perfectly alright. I know the Lois Lane priority list and work comes before play. Can you do me a favor though and give me your undivided attention for this last 15 minutes? I won't let you miss your meeting."

She smiled and relaxed a little, "You're right. You were saying?"

"It was just boring business talk." He patted the spot beside him on the booth. "Come over here."

She didn't hurry over right away, but then realized he couldn't get too touchy-feely in the restaurant, so she slid into the booth with him. He put his arm around her and said, "You'll be pleased to know I'm attending a support group. It was a little, well, it was a support group, but it is nice to know people are going through the same things you are. It's all thanks to you."

"The June to your Johnny," she muttered.

"What?" he asked in an amused tone.

"Oh, nothing."

"You know for someone who never listens to country music, you certainly have a penchant for making references to country stars."

She looked up at him in puzzlement.

"You know the whine like Pasty Cline comment you made at the wedding," he said with a smile.

"Oh, I forgot about that. I guess it's a side effect of hanging around Smallville too long. That's his favorite kind of music."

Oliver got serious, "While we're on the subject, did you ever get over him?"

Lois looked at her watch again. Time was dragging by so slowly. She could feel her neck tingling with discomfort. She quickly nipped the embarrassment before Oliver caught on. She looked him in the face. "I never sulk about old romances that didn't pan out. I moved on."

"What about us?" he pointed out.

"We're different." This was a painful topic for her. She was lying to Oliver. She hadn't moved on from Clark. She would have gone out with him when he had asked her if it wasn't for Oliver. Even though he had stood her up for their coffee date, but to be fair she had asked him, not the other way around, and she had even said she didn't care if he showed up or not.

He smiled again. "Well, Clark was a jerk. He let you slip through his fingers. You can bet I won't make that mistake again."

Lois was getting more and more uncomfortable because she was starting to realize this was all going to blow up in her face if she wasn't careful. "Clark is not a jerk."

"Maybe not, but in the end he only has eyes for Lana Lang."

"He's over her," she grumbled and took a sip of her water.

"Really?" Oliver smirked. "When he would have been with her if it wasn't for—" he stopped abruptly.

Lois was interested. She had never heard why Clark and Lana didn't get back together after they had looked at each other with those woeful, tragic eyes at the wedding and hugged at the hospital. "Go on. If it wasn't for what?"

"I've said too much. I'm not supposed to say anything. I'll just tell you this. It wasn't because they had both matured and realized they weren't right for each other."

Lois felt like she had taken a blow to the chest. It was hard to breathe. "I have to go now."

"Our dessert hasn't got here yet," he told her.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to be late. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," she said and she left before he saw that she wasn't alright.

She made it to the phone booth. She was a little early, but she didn't care. She needed a little time to gather herself. What was Clark doing to her? Making her a second prize or filling in the time until he could be with Lana again? What was Ollie doing to her? Did he know that she was still hung up on Clark and trying to turn her against him? Not that she thought he was lying to her. The phone rang. It must have been the Blur. He was a little early too. There was another problem. What was he doing to her that she had a crush on a voice and a blur? What was she doing to herself that she was trying to deal with 3 men at once, one of whom she knew she had no future with? She was so confused that she felt a headache coming on. Her feelings were all muddled and she didn't know how to begin to separate them out. She didn't think it was going to get any easier after talking to the Blur, but she answered anyway, "Hello?"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

"You sound upset," came the concerned voice at the other end.

"All I said was hello," she said. She was a little freaked out. How could he tell she was upset just by her voice when he barely knew her?

"You can trust me," he said to her kindly.

"No, I can't," she snapped. "All you are is a voice. I don't even know what you look like, but you apparently know a lot about me. Frankly, that's kind of weird even for a mysterious superhero. Now what did you need?"

"I…things are kind of slow on this end and I was hoping you were working on something that I could help you with."

"And for that you needed to interrupt my date and talk to me in private?"

"No, it's just we haven't talked to each other in awhile."

"And you have something you want to confide to me? Go ahead."

"Nothing critical. I guess I just get lonely sometimes."

"I can understand that, but I wish you hadn't made it sound so dire. We could have put it off until later."

"I hope you know that you can confide in me too."

She wasn't sure she wanted to, but then she realized who was he going to tell? He never spoke to anyone else. She was starting to bubble with anger at Clark now that her initial shock was wearing off. That's probably why she had been so snappy to the Blur. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to tell him and it would get it out of her system. "Maybe I will. You see there's this guy at work." She paused to see if he was going to say anything, but he was just listening. "He's the stupidest, most moronic imbecile. He's retarded; he's a teenager-stuck-in-an-adult's-body. He's—"

"I think I get the picture, Miss Lane," he interrupted.

"I'm sorry. Of course, you do."

"What did he do?" he asked her. She couldn't help, but notice he sounded eager, even desperate, to know. He usually spoke in kind, calm tones. It was unusual for him to get emotional like this.

"Nothing. Everything. And then there's my boyfriend."

"Oliver Queen?"

She was dumbfounded. "How did you know I'm seeing him?"

"It was in the society page this morning."

Where else had he heard it? Surely he had better things to do than stalk her. It seemed that he didn't have anything better to do than read the society page though. "You read the society page?" she asked, humor in her voice.

"Don't you?" he asked.

"Not generally, no. I don't care who's throwing the biggest bashes or who's going with who. If I did, I would have been a reporter for the society page."

"So what about your—this man?" he asked.

"I think I've taken up enough of your time. You shouldn't be listening to my stupid problems. You should be out saving lives."

"Sometimes you save a life just by caring enough to listen."

"Thanks, but really I should go. I'll reign in my temper before I see my coworker tomorrow and I'll talk to my boyfriend the next time we go out and everything will be well with the world. Thanks again for listening."

"You're welcome," he almost sounded guilty, but that was crazy, Lois thought. What did he have to feel guilty about?

---

Clark shuffled in rather slowly the next morning, almost as if he could sense the brewing storm, but he still placed coffee on her desk.

"Are you serious?" she asked. Did he think he was going to woo her with coffee?

He reached out to take the coffee back, but she grabbed his wrist. Just because she was angry with him didn't mean she had to forgo his coffee. "Clark, I think we need to clear the air."

He looked like he agreed and brought his chair over to her side. "Is this about us?"

"There never has been and never will be an us. We're just not meant for each other apparently. It's like—"

"Chocolate and halibut," he supplied for her.

"Exactly. The halibut needs to find himself the onion. Whatever reason there is that the halibut is not with the onion, because no one ever tells the chocolate anything," she added with a glare. "Whatever the reason is it's nothing the halibut and onion can't work out. The halibut and chocolate shouldn't get together just because they can. That would make people sick and what's the point of being spewed from someone's mouth and not quite whole after the event just for a little fun. The halibut should go to the onion. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Not really," he said. He was lost after the onion entered the picture.

"If you don't get it, I'm not going to tell you, but I know," she said with a significant look and then she left.

He still didn't get it. If she knew what he hoped she didn't know then she wouldn't have been so nice to him on the phone. It had to be something else. Oliver, he thought with a dark look. He didn't know what Oliver had told her, but she hadn't been angry with him before her date with Oliver.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Chloe texted her from downstairs, "He's coming."

Lois took a deep breath and put the phone into her pocket. Oliver had insisted on coming over to fix dinner for her. Just in case that wasn't all he was coming over for, Chloe was safely planted downstairs and would interrupt them with the push of a button.

She opened the door and he came in with 2 paper bags. It didn't take him long to get going.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help?" Lois asked as she watched him chop up a carrot.

He rubbed his stomach. "Believe me I'm sure. The man that marries you is going to have to put in a steel stomach or learn to cook. I'm still recovering from your Thanksgiving pie."

"You didn't have to get smart. I was just trying to be nice," she said with a smile. "Listen, I wanted to ask you about the Lana thing again."

"Yeah?"

"Why did you tell me that?"

He looked at her uncertainly. "I thought you should know."

"You're not trying to play games with me, are you? Making me angry at any friend who could prove to be some kind of imaginary threat to our relationship?"

"No," he replied adamantly. "Now tell me this. You're not trying to play games with me, are you?"

"You asked me out," she reminded him.

"Touché. So you never told me about the meeting with your informant. Did it prove fruitful?"

"It went okay."

"Is it a secret informant?"

"I don't guess it's a secret," she said, picking up a fork to twiddle in her hands. "At least, he hasn't told me not to tell people I'm talking to him. I already told Chloe and Clark."

"Then who is this informant of yours?"

"The Blur," she told him as she threw the fork into the sink.

He missed the carrot altogether and came down hard on the cutting board instead. "The Blur?" he repeated.

"We talk on the phone and he tells me things. Don't tell me you're jealous?" she said with a laugh.

"Jealous? I'm not jealous," he said, cutting the carrot in random places.

"For someone who's not jealous, you're tearing that carrot all to pieces."

He put down the knife. "Does he keep the conversation professional?" he demanded.

"Of course, he does. Do you think he calls me up to talk dirty? I don't think that's the Blur's style."

"So it is strictly professional?"

"Well, we've gotten friendly. I guess you could say we're phone friends."

That didn't please Oliver. "He's taking advantage of you."

"How can he take advantage of me on the phone?"

"Do you have a crush on this superhero?"

She couldn't help the flush on her face, "How can you crush on somebody whose face you can't even see. I mean he could be the ugliest guy on the planet for all anybody knows."

"If he was, you wouldn't care, would you?"

"No, I'm not that shallow, but let's face it, Ollie, even if I did have a crush on this superhero, what would it matter?" She held one hand up over her head and another down low. "This is how far apart we are. Guys like that don't go out with girls like me. He's the most popular superhero out there right now and I'm just a reporter at the Planet, not even their top reporter. What shot would I have?"

"You went out with the Green Arrow, didn't you?" he asked.

"And there you go. What chance do I have of landing another one unless you pass my number around at your superhero convention? The Blur is a good guy who knows I'm going out with you."

"I have to go Lois. There's someone I need to talk to. I'll probably be back later, but if not, I'll call you."

"You know who the Blur is, don't you?" she asked, surprised.

He froze, "Even if that were true, I couldn't tell you who he was. That's in the superhero rulebook. Don't reveal fellow superheroes' identity."

"Does that still apply when you purposely destroy your costume?" she asked.

"I'll see you later, Lois," he said, shutting the door behind him.

Lois wasn't sure what was going to happen, but she had a feeling she had just struck the match.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Clark had been going to confront Oliver when he'd had to do Blur work. Oliver hadn't been home when he was done, which meant he was probably on a date with Lois. Again. He wouldn't interrupt it this time when it would likely make Lois angrier at him. He was waiting it out at the farm.

There was heavy pounding on the front door. It was Oliver. Oliver angrily pushed past him into the living room. "I have a bone to pick with you, Kent."

"That's funny I have one to pick with you too."

Oliver had malice written on his face, "You go first then, but I guarantee you mine's better."

Clark frowned, "What did you tell Lois yesterday that made her so angry?"

He leered, "Only the truth."

"Which was?"

"That you didn't choose to break up with Lana. You two were forced into breaking up."

"You had no right to tell her that!"

"Were you going to?" Oliver asked.

"If the topic came up, yes."

"If the topic came up," he repeated jeeringly. "Why don't you leave Lois alone and go back to Lana? I'm sure you could find a way to rid her of the kryptonite if you tried hard enough. Why don't you get Dr. Hamilton on the case?"

"You're probably right. If anyone could figure it out, he could, but I don't want him to. I took her picture out of my wallet."

He mockingly threw up his hands, "Well, if you did that, you must be over her."

"I am," he replied through gritted teeth, "but to be honest, I don't care if you believe me or not."

"But you do care if Lois believes you?"

"I do."

"Got her picture in your wallet and everything?" he asked sarcastically.

"I've got her picture where it counts."

"Don't feed me a bunch of romantic bull. You had your chance, buddy, and you blew it."

"I could say the same thing about you."

"If you love her so much, why are you lying to her? Why are you preying on her emotions as the Blur? That's right. Lois told me about your little phone calls to her."

"I'm not preying on her emotions. I just like being able to tell her about that side of me."

"If that's true, why don't you just tell her your secret? If I had a nickel for every time you lectured me about telling Lois I was the Green Arrow because you'd learned so much from your relationship with Lana…you are nothing but a hypocrite."

"You're right," Clark said simply.

Oliver was momentarily stunned that Clark was agreeing with him. "What?"

"I haven't been honest with her and that's going to change. I'm going to tell her that I'm the Blur right now."

He left Oliver standing alone in the living room. Oliver collapsed down onto the couch. This wasn't the outcome he had wanted. He didn't know why, but he was afraid of losing her. He had been afraid of losing her since they'd started going out again. Maybe that's why he had tried to smother her with 3 consecutive dates. Something just wasn't right about this time around and he knew that something had to be Clark. He just hoped that Lois was too angry with Clark to listen to him.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

There was a knock on the door. Lois wondered if Oliver was back because Chloe would have just used the key. She opened the door and Clark was standing there with something in his hand.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

She reluctantly moved back, so he could.

"I don't think we're done clearing the air yet," he told her. He handed her the white styrofoam container he had in hand. "Try this."

She opened it up and looked at it suspiciously. "What is it?"

"Just trust me and try it."

She picked up the fork that was inside with the dish and took a small bite. She asked again, "What is it?"

"Do you like it?" he asked her.

She took another bite. "It's different, but I like it. What is it?"

He smiled at her, "Chocolate and halibut."

She looked up at him in pure disbelief, "What?"

"I found a restaurant in Alaska that serves it." He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "I even got the lady that owns the place to write down the recipe for me when I explained to her why I wanted it."

Lois snatched the paper and read off the list of ingredients, "4-5 oz halibut, 2 cups of shredded coconut, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder," she read more loudly than the other ingredients, "1/2 cup of confection sugar, 1/4 cup of splenda, 3 whole eggs, beaten, 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs, and 2 oz of blended oil. I still don't believe it."

"Believe it. I tried some too and you want to know something? I like it a whole lot better with chocolate than with onions."

"It was just an analogy, Clark. Which actually tastes better together is beside the point."

"Lois, I know it has nothing to do with food. It's how I feel. I don't want the onion—I mean Lana. Yes, our breakup may not have been ideal, but the truth is I don't love her anymore, if I ever really did. I love you."

She looked at him closely through her watery eyes, "Do you really mean that?"

He took her hands, "It takes me awhile to sort through my feelings, but I do sort them. I know how I feel."

"I guess that's something we have in common. It's taken me a long time to sort my feelings for you too." She started to lean in to kiss him and he was leaning in too.

"There's something else I have to tell you," he said, breaking the spell.

"I don't think I'm going to like this, but go ahead."

"I'm the Blur."

"You're the…"

"Blur," he repeated.

"I wish I could laugh this off, but it all makes sense now. Why you dashed to get me something every time there was a disaster; how you were never around when I was talking to the Blur. This is just great."

"Lois—"

"That means when I was talking to you about the Blur like a love struck teenager, you—"

"I'm sorry, Lois."

"And yesterday when I called you all those names…"

"I heard them, and it's alright."

"No, it's not. I was angry at you, but I still shouldn't have said it. I didn't really mean any of them."

"I know."

"You're the sweetest, smartest, most mature guy I know."

"And you're the sweetest, smartest, most mature girl I know."

"Why did you decide to tell me?" she asked, putting her arms around him. Clark smiled. She wasn't as upset by the news as he thought she was going to be. It was funny how sometimes you dramatized an event so much that the real thing wasn't half as bad.

"Well, Oliver—"

"Oliver," Lois gasped. "I've got to talk to him right away."

"He's still at the farm."

"At least, it's a relief that there are only two men to deal with now."

"What?"

"Never mind. I'll see you in a little bit and explain everything to you." Lois hurried down the stairs. She paused briefly. She wasn't sure what to tell Ollie without hurting him, but she had to find a way. She had taken this thing far enough and she shouldn't have taken it at all.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

"Why are you still in Clark's house?" Lois asked. "And I thought you were supposed to call me?"

He smiled wryly. "Did you really want me too? Don't worry. I'm getting ready to blow this dump. Did you know goody-goody-two-shoes Clark doesn't even keep cooking sherry?"

Lois frowned.

Oliver shook his finger at her, "You look just like my mother did when you do that." He stood up. "I think I'll be going now. No need to stick around here. You don't have to tell me you went running to Clark with open arms. I guess I always knew in the back of my mind that you would. I can see the happiness on your face, mangled only by your worry over me, so go. Be happy. I'll be just fine."

"Sit," Lois demanded brusquely.

Oliver immediately sat.

"Don't give me any of this crap about cooking sherry. I was wrong to go out with you this time around, but what choice did you leave me when you said you'd lay off the alcohol and pills if I did? You're my friend, Ollie, and I hate watching you destroy yourself."

"So they were pity dates?"

"You knew darn well they would be or you wouldn't have given me an if/then clause."

"I just wanted you to know that you didn't have to worry about dating an alcoholic, pill-popping playboy."

"You still gave me a condition. If you had been serious about cleaning up, you would have done it whether or not I went out with you."

He looked away from her.

"Let's be honest, Ollie. It's not about the addiction to alcohol or pills, or even me. There's a bigger issue behind it all. You want to die."

"That's not true."

"Then what were you doing playing around in that illegal fight club?"

He didn't answer her.

"You miss the Green Arrow. You thought by dating me you'd get some of that man back."

"What if I did?"

"The only way you're going to get him back is by getting off your sorry behind and start rescuing people again, instead of crying tears in your beer and messing around with everything in a skirt."

"You don't believe in mincing words, do you? You don't get it. I screwed up."

"Join the club. We all screw up sooner or later."

"I'm the reason Jimmy Olsen is dead!"

"You killed him with your own two hands?" she asked.

"No, but if—"

"And there we go if. There are a lot of ifs involved and they do nobody any good. Chloe could say what if I hadn't hid Davis. Sometimes I think what if I had gone with Jimmy instead of staying to look at the computer, but what happens happens and you have to pick up the pieces and go."

"I can't trust my decisions."

"You learn from your mistakes and you do better the next time. Look at it this way, Ollie. How many lives do you let slip away by not using your gifts?"

She knew she had struck a chord by the look on his face. "Maybe you're right."

"Whether or not you decide to pick up your arrows again, will you at least promise to stop trying to self-destruct?"

He stood up again and walked over to her. "Only for a friend," he said, giving in.

She hugged him and then they both started to leave.

"I guess this is the part where 'It Ain't Me, Babe' starts playing in the background," Oliver joked.

"I've got no idea what you're talking about," she told him.

"You know 'I'm not the one you want, babe, I'm not the one you need'. It's a Johnny and June song."

"Just because I know who they are and make a casual reference to them doesn't mean I have their songs memorized."

He shook his head and laughed, "There'll never be another Lois Lane."

"No, but you'll find your June. I guarantee it."

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Lois smiled and flashed an article in front of Clark's eyes.

" 'Green Arrow is Back' exclusive interview by Lois Lane," he read and then said teasingly, "Should I be jealous?"

She smiled coyly, "As a superhero or as a boyfriend?"

"Both."

She patted his shoulder, "The Green Arrow's got nothing on you."

"So while we're on the subject of Oliver, do you think he and Dinah would be good together?"

Lois had started putting in her earrings, "Oh, no. We're not going to run around and play matchmaker for my ex. That's just weird. Besides, Oliver and I are still building bridges after our fake dating. I'm not going to get into his business when I don't have to."

"He knows you only did it because you're a caring person. I just wish I had done more to help him, but I was too busy being jealous. I'd say the bridge has already been built as anybody can clearly see by this interview and anyway, I'm not saying we should put them together. I was just making a simple observation."

"Dinah and Ollie," Lois said, trying their names together. "Ollie and Dinah. I don't know. All I know is she is as annoying as heck and she's pretty good at screaming like a banshee."

"Perfect for him, right?"

She shrugged, but said with a smile tugging at her lips, "They've got possibilities." She put her arms around him, "But I've had enough of talking about other people. There's only one couple I want to talk about right now."

"I agree with you wholeheartedly," he said, kissing her tenderly.

"Now that's more like it," said a satisfied Chloe as she came into the apartment and surveyed the scene.

Clark smiled and Lois shook her head as she concentrated on adjusting his tie for him before they left on their date, "Okay. Let's hear it," Lois said.

"Hear what?" Chloe asked.

"What couple do we remind you of? Am I the Cher to his Sonny? The Lucy to his Ricky? What?"

Chloe laughed, "I think you two are in a class all of your own."

The End


End file.
